The Hoosiers were one of the undoubted highlights of Maidstone's Big Weekend.

Their feelgood pop attracted a huge audience on the main stage, even prompting Radio 1’s Jo Whiley to leap on stage dressed as a banana in tribute to the band’s penchant for quirky outfits.

She duly trotted on stage alongside a host of skeletons which inexplicably seemed perfectly natural given the surreal jauntiness of the music.

"That was a full on stage invasion and the restraining order is still out on Jo," explained the band’s thoroughly likeable singer Irwin Sparkes.

As he admits that it took a little time to get the crowd truly warmed up, but massive hits Goodbye Mr A and Worried About Ray on their side, it wasn’t long before they won them over.

Not even Chris Moyles being cheeky with them for their pre-gig interview was enough to throw them off their refreshingly upbeat stride.

"It was tough to get people moving at first but we got there with it in the end. It was a bit of a weird experience being back-stage with all these famous people but it was cool to hang out with the other bands," recalled the flamboyant singer who is still having to fend off comments about his more-than passing resemblance to actor Ben Stiller.

When you’ve the kind of success they’ve enjoyed with number one album, The Trick To Life, it’s all too easy for bands to implode under the pressure. But it appears they’re keeping focused on the task in hand and are hard at work on the follow up.

"We’re really happy with having got to number one- but that doesn’t always mean that much as I have seen some records that I don’t like at all that have got there. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves just yet- it’s not like we are U2!"

"With the first album there’s far more to it than just the singles- there were some darker themes there that I don’t think people really picked up on. That’s what we’ll be looking at with the next album," he said of the as yet-untitled new work.

One of their key weapons within their unashamedly brash pop sound has been a distinct identity- often donning super hero gear for a laugh. It’s certainly got them noticed, though Irwin is beginning to wonder if it’s distracting from the music.

"We just wanted to keep things interesting by dressing up but I think we’re actually going to do that a little less now and encourage people to come to the gigs dressed up instead," he revealed.

The story behind this Cure and Flaming Lips-inspired three-piece is an intriguing one. Hailing respectively from Exeter, Reading and Stockholm, their success was far from being an overnight hit.

As their frontman explains, he had slogged away writing for years with drummer Al Sharland before eventually teaming up with their bass-player Martin Skarendahl.

While at school they had been inspired to start a band by their chemistry teacher who had been a member of 70s group Sailor.

Years later they bizarrely won a football scholarship in America where they admitted to being "not much cop" but it bought them time to hone their sound.

Their place of study, Hoosier, at the University of Inidianapolis gave rise to their unusal name, originally calling themselves The Hoosier Complex, which was swiftly shortened.

Back in Blighty, they duly signed a deal with RCA records which set them on their path to recognition. So far they've made a strong impression with their live sets and have refused to be deterred by critics who argue their sound lacks credibilty.

"There's some good music out there but also some bad stuff too- there are too many bands out there chasing the shadow of cool and no focused on writing songs, which is what we are trying to do."

Their sold-out tours have put paid to claims of a lack of substance and their infectious sound continues to attract admirers around the world.

If their well-recieved set at Glastonbury is anything to go by then they’ll be on blistering form for their return to kent at Quex Park.

"Having done the first album I have been busy working on a way to finish our shows, I thought revealing the secret to eternal life would be good," reveals Irwin with the kind of confidence worthy of the superheroes they appear as on stage. Now that would definitely be an impossible gig to follow in anyone’s book.

The Hoosiers headline Sound Island at Quex Park, Thanet on Friday, July 25. Support is from fellow chart-toppers Scouting for Girls, Elliot Minor and newly signed punk-pop act Go Audio. Tickets £26

The festival continues on Saturday with UB40 supported by Aswad. Tickets £32.50

Sunday is headlined by Katherine Jenkins and Classical Brit Award winners Blake. Tickets £28.50.